Operation Holiday Homecoming

[Carolyn Branagan]

Many people from our  legislative district have called me concerning the financing of Christmas week home visits for the 700 Vermont National Guard soldiers now in training and scheduled to be deployed in early January. Many of you are aware that the soldiers who are soon to be  deployed to Afghanistan will be given a week off from training at Christmas but are on their own  to find a ride back to Vermont.

Today I spoke with Senator Shumlin's office and confirmed that he is organizing a non-partisan effort to raise money to pay transportation costs for Vermont National Guard soldiers to return home for Christmas leave. 'Operation Holiday Homecoming’ will be administered by the Vermont National Guard Charitable Foundation, Inc. and is being supported by many Vermonters, including several legislators from Montpelier. We need to raise $315,000 to charter airplanes to bring the 700 Guard soldiers home for Christmas week. The Vermont National Guard Charitable Foundation, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. Contributions are tax deductible. 

If you would like to donate to 'Operation Holiday Homecoming' make a check out to Vermont National Guard Charitable Foundation, Inc.  Be sure to write Operation Holiday Homecoming in the memo space. Mail it to:

Operation Holiday Homecoming
 PO Box 683
 Essex Junction, Vermont 05453.

Credit card donations may be made at  www.supportvermontguard.org.
For more information call me at home  527-7694. This is a good cause. Do whatever you can.


Rep. Carolyn Branagan
Franklin-1, Fairfax/Georgia
Vermont House of Representatives
 

[cedarman]

Carolyn,

Have you or any other reps consulted with anyone from VTANG to see if they might have some scheduled "training" flight time or some other way that they may be able to get our great guys and gals home without spending a lot on commercial flights.

I realize commercial flights might be slightly more comfortable than sitting in a C-130 or other military aircraft, but it might be a good way for our military to be more efficient - VTANG flight crews can log flight time, and Army soldiers get where they NEED to be (home for the holidays, and back to training after).

I'm sure there is a lot of red tape involved, but I'm sure if everyone works together, a workable, cost effective solution can be reached which best utilizes the tax dollars all of us have already contributed.

[Carolyn Branagan]

Hi Cedarman,

All the possibilities for getting these folks home as cheaply as possible are being explored, including using military aircraft. The fund raising had to begin now because time is short. Details are being worked out. 

Carolyn